


Unwanted

by Kainosite



Category: Political RPF - UK 21st c.
Genre: Angst, First Time, Hindujagate, M/M, New Labour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-20
Updated: 2011-10-20
Packaged: 2017-10-24 19:54:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/267248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kainosite/pseuds/Kainosite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the wake of his second resignation, Peter tracks Alastair down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unwanted

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Mandebell minifill promptfest](http://lolitics-meme.livejournal.com/9756.html?thread=22939164#t22939164) at the Lolitics meme.

There was a reason Alastair had been ducking Peter's calls for the past two weeks. He'd been telling everyone it was because the resignation was over and done and they'd all made mistakes but it was too late to do anything about it now, and Peter wasn't helping the Government or himself by being such a twat about it. But the truth was that every conversation they had started with Peter raining vitriol and condemnation down on him and ended with Peter sobbing and begging for help, and Alastair couldn't cope. He could just about stand the accusations if he didn't dwell on them too much, but the tears gave him a tight, twisted feeling in his stomach like his ulcer had come back. Peter cried all the time, but Alastair had never seen him beg before. It was unnatural.

Not returning Peter's calls had given Alastair's stomach a lovely holiday, but now it was knotting itself into a cold lump because Peter had finally tracked him down and cornered him in his office, and it was after hours so there were no impending press briefings to offer a convenient escape. The waterworks were starting again, in few minutes they'd be up to the begging, and he didn't know what to do.

"It was just an excuse to get rid of me!" Peter hissed, sniffling furiously at him. When Alastair was miserable he just cried. Peter had discovered a way to cry _at_ people. Peter cried _aggressively_. How the hell was someone supposed to deal with that? For lack of a better alternative, Alastair grabbed Peter's shoulders and shook him gently.

"Peter, we didn't do it because we don't want you in the Cabinet! You were one of the most able ministers we had and you're irreplaceable as an adviser, you know that. It's just your media persona, it's just we can't afford these constant shitstorms they stir up around you. If it wasn't for that we'd have you back in a second!"

"You wouldn't." Peter ripped Alastair's hands off his shoulders and backed away, swiping a wrist across his eyes.

"You never wanted me around, none of you," he snapped, blinking furiously up at Alastair through freshly welling tears. "I was always in the way, coming between Tony and Gordon, coming between you and Tony. Tony always tried to accommodate Gordon's agenda and John's. He even tried to make room for Clare Short! But anything I wanted, that was always me interfering, me being selfish, me getting above myself. All I wanted was a decent house! When Harriet sent her kid to a grammar school you all defended her!"

"I didn't defend her, I said she was a stupid cow!" Alastair protested, but Peter was ranting on regardless.

"I didn't do anything corrupt. I just got a loan from a friend, that's all. No one else would have been forced to resign for that. And this time, this time I was completely innocent even of the _appearance_ of wrongdoing and you still threw me to the wolves! You don't want me back, you just want me to disappear."

Peter covered his face with his hands, trying to dam the flow of tears. He looked absolutely wretched, like Alastair had run over his dog. Or like Alastair had destroyed the career he loved more than anything in the world to appease some cunts in the media who would just toddle off to find some _new_ shit to fling at the Government once they finished cackling over Peter's downfall. The knot in Alastair's stomach tightened painfully.

To distract himself from what was probably the formation of a new ulcer, he went over and folded Peter in his arms. He was half-hoping Peter would haul off and punch him, which would absolve him of the need to feel sorry for him, but this time Peter didn't try to push him away. He just stood stiffly in Alastair's embrace, his shoulders rigid, a bundle of bony limbs wrapped in an expensive suit.

"We've never wanted that. We still need you," Alastair murmured into his dark hair, rocking him gently back and forth. Peter's hair smelled of some girly floral shampoo, and in the back of Alastair's mind an idea began to germinate. There might be a way to interrupt Peter before he got to the begging stage.

"You _don't_ ," Peter mumbled sullenly, sniffling into Alastair's collar.

"Let me show you how much," Alastair said, and when Peter lifted his pale, resentful face to scowl at him, curious despite himself, he leaned down to kiss away his tears.


End file.
